The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1887-05-26

md y Not, mhy Not
When the President of the Cobb
County Agricultural Society an
nounced this question a week or two
since as the subject for to-day's con-
sideration and requested me to open
the discussion, my first impulse was
to answer in the negative-that or.
ganization does not profit the farmer.
yet it could be easily made 50 to do.
After revolving the subject fur
Their, even as applied to our own
county and our own society or group
of societies, | have been forced to
change my hastily expressed opinion
and to answer in the affirmative.
believe organization has been to
us of decided value, but | am equally
sure it can be made infinitely more
so by pursuing the proper course.
How has it been of value
First, by bringing the farmers Of
the different districts in our county
into direct contact and communica-
ton, securing the following results
! |. The opportunity has been af-
forded us Of enjoying social inter
course-the one neighborhood with
the other-of forming individual ac-
quaintances which have, in many in
stances, ripened into friendships that
would otherwise have probably new
er been Of acquiring, as well, that
enlargement of ideas, and consequent
breadth of mind and expansion OF
thought, understanding and express
ion-that removal Of mental rust,
mildew and proyinciality that cos
mopolitanism, in short, denied to the
wholly secluded, and obtainable only
by constant contact and attrition with
the world.
?. We have been enabled to ex-
tend this privilege to our wives and
families, giving occasionally day of
greatly needed rest and relaxation to
tired women, wearied with the cares
and burdens of many months of toll
and domestic drudgery, and to pre-
sent them, in turn, the opportunity
Of forming acquaintance and friend
ships and interchanging ideas and in
dulging in the communion and social
Intercourse so dear to every female
heart.
.. As farmers, this contact has en-
abled us to interchange views, opin-
ions and methods relating to our oc-
cupation and proving always of more
or less benefit. Successes aud tall
ureS are valuable lessons alike, and
there is no one here to-day so expe-
rienced and skilled, or so successful
in his avocatiOn that he cannot listen
with some profit to or derive some
tangible benefit from the discourse of
the youngest and most ignorant of us
all. Mems ways are not all alike {:
and because you, my friend, happen
to be doing very we'll, it is no reason
why some valuable hint, timely Sc
cured, would not enable YOU to do
still better.
I. We have thus had occasion to
visit periodically different portions Of
our county and to become practically
acquainted not only with It's varied
features and resources, but with the
methods, systems and suggestions
previously impressed upon US as the
cries, and which have now taken sub
stantial shape and form at the homes
and upon the farms of the men who
advanced them, and whom we are
now visiting
In SO tar, then, have we been ben
Gifted by contact
Second, we have been benefited
by the widespread advertisement our
organization has already given our
county; attracting, as 1t has done,
the attention of all farmers through
out the State of Georgia, and put
ting Cobb upon record, in this re-
spect at least, however undeserved-
~, as the banner county Of the State
Third, not the least among the
results of our past labors must be
ranked the awaking in us of the
spirit of investigation as to further
good, the fruit of which is apparent
here to-day in this discussion lead
ing us to examine carefully into the
future possibilities, results and bene-
fits of more thorough and perfected
organization.
The benefits, which / claim we
have already reaped, while minor
ones compared TO those We should
achieve, are nevertheless substan-
tial and material, and, were we to 90
no further, these alone would profit
us to maintain, increase and perfect
our present organization
But even now many Of you are
perhaps doubling Thomases" and
are scarcely convinced Of the actuali-
ty of benefit | have sought to demon
strate.
Why is this? Why Is it always
SO difficult to persuade the farmer
that organization and attendance at
club meetings pays him!
Pardon me if | speak plainly while
telling you, for say no more of you
than | am willing to confess and
plead guilty to myself
/. Because, as q rule, the farmer
is the most extreme autocrat on the
face of the earth. lie is naturally
both egotistic and conceited- thinks
he "knows it all" and neither appre-
ciates the necessity tor further knowl-
edge nor will he take the trouble to
gain it is, in fact, mildly astonished
that any one should be so presump-
tuous as to attempt 10 turn the tee
bic rays Of their tallow dip upon the
blazing effulgence Of his own intel
lectual torchlight procession brass
| loud and all